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Jessica deGuardiola is  principal of 5sPR, a Boston-based boutique fashion, beauty and lifestyle PR agency that specializes in up and coming designers, beauty clients and entrepreneurs. In this in-depth post, Jessica offers up tips for working with clients on different time zones based on her experience with Parisian avante-garde jewelry shop ICU-In Paris.

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A little about 5s

When I began thinking about the philosophy behind 5s, it was really important for me to stick to what I know: fashion, beauty and lifestyle clientele. It’s where my passion lies, where my media relationships are strongest and the synergy between clients has the potential to be amazing. So here I am two years later, and 5s has blossomed into a full-service boutique PR firm with a staff of 4 (hard to believe considering I started the company from my living room) and now represents clients from all over the world. It’s been an amazing journey filled with terrifying and exciting experiences alike, but I wake up excited most mornings because I know this is just the beginning.

A little about ICU-In Paris

ICU-In Paris has been particularly exciting for us to work with, in that it was our first international client. ICU is an acronym for Independent. Curated. Unique- designer jewelry, and founder Christan Summers launched the company after being inspired from her time spent in Paris during a study abroad program. She has since relocated there permanently, with headquarters on Rue Pradier. The website is a beautiful depiction of Parisian “Street-Style” and gives an authentic glimpse into the sought-after European lifestyle.

How it came to be

I originally came across ICU at a pop-up shop hosted by Boldfacers, a really avant-garde online publication based here in Boston. Her pieces really struck a chord with me, so I emailed the founder shortly after the event. We quickly hit it off after discovering that we were close in age, and had in fact graduated from the same college(Northeastern University in Boston) We went on to develop a close relationship via email, and didn’t meet in person until about 6 months later, when Christan was visiting family in Boston. We’ve been working together ever since..

What we’ve been working on

Recently, we’ve been working on the launch of ICU’s US showroom, which will be located in our office, a loft-space in Boston’s SOWA District. The launch will include a trunk show for ICU’s newest featured designer, Fiona Paxton, Parisian street-style videography and speciality cocktails. Fiona’s pieces are to die for, and we’ve arranged to have 19 new ones delivered for the show, so it’s gearing up to be an amazing evening.

Tips for working abroad

TECHNOLOGY IS YOUR FRIEND. Really, I could not stress this more. I understand first hand that this can seem daunting… between all the Facebook-ing, Tweeting, Skyp-ing, IM-ing, and Blackberry Messenger-ing, it’s enough to make you lose your mind! However, if you spend some time to really familiarize yourself with the benefits modern technology can offer in terms of social media, it will be what sets you apart from the rest. Obviously the biggest challenge when dealing with a client abroad is the time difference, but the aforementioned has really helped us not only open the lines of communication, but also maintain a personal connection with our clients, which is so important to us. When you’re literally separated by an ocean, it’s paramount to make yourself as accessible as possible.

How to manage time/find media

When it comes to PR, tracking down the right editorial contact is half the battle in terms of coverage. For this, I recommend subscribing to a media database. Personally, I swear by Cision, which gives you access to bloggers, producers, editors and freelancers in every sector you can imagine, and allows you to reach thousands of contacts with the click of a button (a HUGE perk when it comes to time management!) It is however a bit pricey, so if budget is an issue, I’d recommend something like Mastheads.org, which is a more affordable resource. If neither are an option at the moment, there’s always the old-school method: Read. Set aside a few hours on the weekend and head to your favorite bookstore. Hunker down with a large coffee, and surround yourself with stacks upon stacks of your favorite mainstream publications. The mastheads are almost always in the front of the book and easy to find…make a list of who’s who in the magazine, and start doing some research. With everything we have access to online nowadays, all it takes is a little leg work.